On Hiatus: God's Personal Reasons

Chapter 70: Look, This is the True Demon Lord’s Heavenly Sword

-How dare a mere sacrifice insult me!

Furious, the giant crocodile attempted to eat Sung Mi-Na.

“Aaaaaah!”

I snatched her from the crocodile’s maw just in time.

Grab! Slam! Crunch!

Chomping thin air, the crocodile glowered at me as I held Sung Mi-Na in my arms.

-Grrrr. Who are you!

I didn’t reply. My appraisal skill activated.

-----

[Gustav, “???”’s Apostle]

A male crocodile. Around for 85 years.

Special note: Harvester of sacrifices raised by the God of Destroyer “???”. A quasi-transcendent. Has SS-rank abilities because of the power bestowed upon him.

-----

That damn God of Destroyer again?

Seeing the crocodile up close, I finally understood why Abundance noonim said we needed at least ten S-rank Hunters. That was an SS-rank monster right there! I’d only heard of such a National Disaster-level monster in passing!

This isn’t going to work...

Most of my divine power went to evolving Hades, so I couldn’t equip my malevolent title. Il-Ho’s skill wouldn’t be enough to defeat this monster. Fleeing would probably be wise, and yet I couldn\'t.

What about Sword Demon, Sung Mi-Ri, and the school nurse? Not to mention, other students who couldn’t escape due to their sustained injuries...

“Please save... my little sister... Mi-Ri...”

Sung Mi-Na was dying in my arms, and yet she still pleaded desperately.

“Leave it to me, Ms. Sung Mi-Na.”

I’d fight the crocodile no matter the outcome. Just as I mustered the courage...

Rattle rattle!

“Huh? Why are you here?”

The crazy knife that I’d sealed at home was here for some reason.

Rattle rattle!

The wooden box rattled noisily again. Looking at the current situation, it couldn’t be helped.

“Alright, I get it. Stop pestering me.”

Time to borrow the power of a cat—no, a knife. I picked up the box.

Click. Roooooar!

I removed the lid, revealing an 80 cm rutilant chef’s knife.

Sss—

At the same time, the hilt of the sword split, and a pair of ruby-red eyes appeared.

Ugh, gross. I didn’t even want to touch it.

The eyes reproachfully glared at me.

Huh?! What’s that?! Don’t act like a demonic sword when you’re just a kitchen knife!

I grabbed the kitchen knife, the self-proclaimed Sword God.

“Sword Devotion.”

An innate power bestowed by All-Cutting Heavenly Sword, which maximized the sword\'s power.

Kwaaaaaa!

Then, the Sword God’s frenzy surged in me.

“Ugh!”

This endless madness! It was nothing compared to when I first encountered Sword Demon! I felt like it could only be quelled by turning the entire world upside down! It swept my mind like a tidal wave, accompanied by immense pleasure and pain.

At that moment, I saw an angry-looking, eccentric old man with a scruffy beard. Was it just me?

Flash!

Then, my consciousness became one with the Sword God.

Ding!

[All-Cutting Heavenly Sword gazes at you, declaring this is the true unity of sword and man.]

-She is my sacrifice! I’m offering her to god! Put her down!

The crocodile growled, baring his fangs at me.

“Keke...” I chuckled faintly, flashing my own teeth. “Kekekeke!”

I couldn’t help but burst out laughing. I’d never seen such a huge and sturdy crocodile in my life!

I want to cut at it! I can’t wait to slash it!

-Die, you insolent worm!

The second apostle of God of Destroyer, Gustav, furiously swung his tail at me.

Swaaaah! Kyaaaak!

Behind me, the sound of tearing air echoed like a wail. An engineered attack, faster than the speed of sound. Gustav was about to blow my upper body with his tail.

“Keke.”

Regardless of how fast he was, I knew where he was about to strike. What kind of swordsman fails to dodge something so obvious? Before he could land a hit, I made my move. I twisted my body, and his tail swept right past my head. At the same time, I swung my sword in a semi-circle trajectory.

Slash!

It slashed quite well with that speed.

Flick! Thud!

Gustav’s severed tail fell to the ground, and black blood splattered.

-Gaaaaah! My tail! My precious tail!

Gustav’s horrified scream, which followed after, pleased me. Quite a decent scream for a crocodile, but it wasn’t enough.

I need more, more, more!

More blood! More screams! Thankfully, Gustav’s large size would provide just that.

“...God?” Sung Mi-Na tearfully gazed at me.

I put her down and lunged at Gustav, reversing the hilt of my knife.

“Keke, Crocodile. I want more!”

-Gaaah! Why, you little...!

Gustav was stronger and faster than I was, yet not a single attack of his grazed me. A simple movement and gesture from that darn God of Destruction was enough to tame this cryptic beast.

As if he could touch me anyway. My sword never ceased to move.

Slash slash slash!

I tore his flesh out bit by bit, just as he did with Sung Mi-Ri.

-Gaaaah!

Blood and flesh fell from his body like a downpour, staining the ground black. Witnessing the scene, Sword Demon burst into tears.

“Aah, that’s it! That’s the swordplay I wish to learn...”

Thud!

-Ugghhh!

Gustav slumped to the ground. I twirled my sword hilt, snarling at Gustav.

Is that all you got?

-You! So you are the one! You’re the deadly nightmare owner I sensed back then!

Gustav clutched his shoulder, where the white bones were exposed. After scanning me with his bloodshot eyes, he gave me a smirk.

-But now, I can only smell traces of it! I’m no longer scared of you! You shall witness my power!

“Keke?”

I was just getting bored and about to behead him. But I decided against it and observed the situation for a moment.

-Krrr! I’ll sacrifice you! Oh, how pleased my great god would be to receive you!

Kwaaaa!

A dark, ominous aura surged through Gustav’s body as he began to transform.

-Look! This is the power bestowed by God of Destroyer upon me!

Crunch crunch!

Watching Gustav transform only riled me up.

“Kekeke!”

So you have more up your sleeve? Bring them all out! Make it worth my time!

[All-Cutting Heavenly Sword chuckles, commenting that you know the audiences’ hearts.]

[Infinite Abundance is worried about your complacency.]

[Silently Crawling Nightmare cheers on you, waving a cannibal flower in each hand.]

[Eternal Seeker is disappointed because you forgo your good muscles and use a sword.]

Can I slash these stalkers while at it?

Tzzz!

Just then, Gustav’s transformation ended.

“Keke.”

When I saw his new form, I got furious! He had shrunk into a pitifully small size! How was I supposed to enjoy cutting him up?! This was how he repaid my patience?! The only thing that stood out to me was the dark scales covering his body.

“Keke.”

Annoyed, I slashed at Gustav, ready to cut him into half.

Clanggg!

Yet, there was a sharp sound of blade hitting against iron. For the first time, my knife bounced off his skin.

I can’t hurt him? Me? The Sword God?

That’s unforgivable!

“Keke! Again! Crocodile!”

Throbbing—

My arm muscles swelled instantly as I gripped my sword. At the same time, I swung with all my might, raining blows on Gustav like a torrential downpour!

Clang clang clang!

Sparks scattered from Gustav’s scales like sparkles, yet they remained unscathed. Instead, my blade became chipped.

Gustav sneered, baring his hideous teeth at me.

-Kekeke, a mere sword can’t hope to graze the dragon scales bestowed by god!

Smackkk!

His fist connected to the pit of my stomach like an awl, sending me flying like a cannonball.

“Cough!”

I landed on the floor, spewing blood like waterfall, mixed with bits of my intestines. I could no longer see his moves.

-What do you think?! This is the power granted to me by god!

Gustav laughed as he advanced on me.

Gritting my teeth, I swung my sword. He didn’t even bother dodging this time. He used his body to deflect my blade and struck me down.

Bam bam bam!

“Arghhh!”

Gustav pummeled me like a sandbag. Soon, I was covered in blood and my vision blurred. He clutched my head, about to hit me again.

“O’ Almighty God, please accept this delightful offering!”

Riiip!

His palm split open, revealing a hideous mouth.

-Kujitolea kwa Mungu (Sacrifice to the gods).

Briefly, I saw it. I saw the colossal being that had devoured Mountain-Gnawing Titan’s world. It gaped its mouth at me.

Death loomed over me.

“Master!”

There was a blood-curdling cry, accompanied by a giant sword slashing at Gustav.

Clanggg!

Even that sword did nothing against the dragon scales, but the impact pushed Gustav backward.

“Are you alright?!”

Death Knight Hades, the 4-meter-tall giant in black armor, had come to my aid.

Fury flashed across Gustav’s eyes.

-You undead! How dare you interrupt the sacred ceremony!

“You God of the Destroyer’s seed! You won’t steal my master from me again!”

Roaring like a raging beast, Hades swung his sword at Gustav.

Clangggg! Bam bam bam!

Messages from God-Maker appeared as they clashed together.

Ding!

[The Skill Sharing duration has ended.]

[Il-Ho’s Strong Body has been retracted.]

The thick layer of muscle covering my body vanished, and I returned to normal.

“Arghhhhh!”

Tidal wave of pain that no ordinary human could bear pervaded me.

“Cough cough!”

I writhed in pain like a worm sprinkled with salt.

When I tried to heal myself with Healing Ring Finger of God...

[Healing failed. Insufficient divine power.]

As I laid on the ground, wracked in pain, I lamented. Did possessing the power of a god make me arrogant? Usually, I’d have feigned ignorance and run away. Who gave a damn about who might die?

-God Yu Il-Shin! Please stay strong!

-O’ great and merciful God Yu Il-Shin! You are our only god!

I could hear the voices of my followers.

Anty and the soldiers of Gayamis were in a huge war. Il-Ho was also fighting against a gigantic monster in the Tower of Warriors. And yet, they stopped just to pray for me. They were in tears.

Blind Eyes of God.

“Oh God, please save Mi-Ri...” Sung Mi-Na prayed desperately, shedding tears while holding the bloody Sung Mi-Ri in her arms.

“Urk... I’m sorry, Mr. Sword God. If only I were...a bit stronger...!” Sword Demon crawled toward me, crying as he blamed himself for his lack of power.

Tzzz...

Their despairing, tearful prayers of tears flowed into me.

“Hiiiiic...”

I endured the tremendous crushing pain as I tried to stand up. Then, new messages from God-Maker appeared one after the other.

Ding!

[Fanatic Sword Demon and Dark Holy Knight Hades have been added to the Skill Share list.]

New! [Sword Demon: Demon Lord\'s Heavenly Sword]

New! [Hades: Blessing of Immortality]

Ding!

[Sung Mi-Na has become your temporary apostle.]

[You will attain true faith by fulfilling Sung Mi-Na’s earnest wish and saving her from the God of Destroyer.]

Bam! Crushhh!

Not even Hades, an S-rank summon with potential for transcendence, was a match for SS-rank Gustav.

“Gaaaah!”

-Outrageous! As if a mere corpse can best me, an apostle of god!

The tenth blow destroyed Hades’ armor, and Gustav trampled on it.

Ding!

[All-Cutting Heavenly Sword has been watching you. He urges you to use the Heavenly Sword Treasury. He reminds you that you still have two access tickets.]

I don\'t need it.

I stumbled as I retrieved the knife from the ground. The blade was ruined, calling it a saw would be more accurate. But this was enough.

Isn\'t that right, Sword God?

Wooooong!

Sword God cried fiercely in affirmation. I directed the sword at Gustav.

Sword Demon, you lamented that you couldn’t assist me, but you’re wrong.

“Skill Sharing... Sword Demon, Demon Lord\'s Heavenly Sword.”

Woooong!

Sword God turned at Sword Demon.

Keke, watch this, Sword Demon. You’re the last thing I need to make it perfect.

Although it was definitely my first time using it, it felt strangely familiar. I slowly drew the blade.

“First Stance of the Demon Lord’s Heavenly Sword, Demon Lord’s Descent.”

Then, the world split apart.